Fabric and process of making the same



Patented Sept. 13, 1932 T E S OFFICE JOHN E. GEORGE, OF ST. LOUIS,MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO 'IHEALLIGATOR COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ACORPORATION OF DELAWARE FABRIC AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME NoDrawing.

My invention relates to a process of treating a fabric, such forexample, as a woven cotton fabric commercially known as balloon cloth,whereby, when certain preferred materials are employed, a metallic sheenis imparted to both surfaces but one surface is given a differentappearance from the other. My process may also be carried out in suchmanner that the fabric is rendered 11o waterproof and made a suitableand attractive material for use in the manufacture of raincoats andother waterproof garments.

The process comprises passing the cloth through a liquid bath,preferably of the com- 15 position hereinafter set forth, and thenpassing it between rolls to remove the surplus liquid and to so governthe disposition of the pigment content thereof as to produce the resultdesired. This latter may be accomplished by employing a roll having arigid surface in cooperation with another having a resilient surface andI have successfully employed a smooth steel roll in cooperation with asmooth rubber roll, After the treated fabric has been passed between therolls it is dried by suitable means, such as subjecting it to heated airin a drying oven.

A suitable liquid bath for carrying out my new process and securing thenovel resulting fabric, comprises linseed oil mixed with asuitabledrier, such as a linoleate of lead, cobalt, or manganese, and also witha suitable thinner, such as petroleum naphtha. The composition furthercarries in suspension a pigment, such as aluminum powder. The proportionof this powder employed may be'varied, depending on the color tonesdesired in the resulting fabric.

The fabric to be treated is preferably first dyed a selected color and Ihave found that if a red fabric is employed and treated with a liquidbath which carries aluminum powder as a pigment the resulting producthas a very satisfactory appearance, having a grayish red tone on oneside and a metallic gray tone on the other side. The side which was incontact with thesteel roll during treatment has, after drying, thegrayish red tone, and while I do not bind myselfto any theory as to whythe color of the side which passed Application filed February 23, 1929.Serial No. 342,300.

in contact with the rubber roll is different, it would appear from theresulting product that the metal pigment is distributed by the action ofthe rolls in such manner that it is much more. dense, or in other words,more of it visible, on the side which contacted with the rubber roll.The pressure applied to the fabric as it passed between the rolls may ofcourse be varied but the desired and attractive resulting differentappearances of the two sides of the fabric is secured when the pressurebetween the rolls is so adjusted as to remove the treatment liquid tosuch extent that the treated fabric when dried is not of appreciablygreater thickness than prior to treatment.

Other pigments, such as bronze powder, for example, may be substitutedfor aluminum powder in the liquid bath, and by varying the color of thecloth treated and color of the pigment a variety of fabrics, as tocolor, may be produced, always, however, of different color on theopposite sides, and therefore of particular desirability for use inmaking unlined waterproof garments.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The process of treating a fabric which comprises passing it through aliquid bath containing a metallic pigment, then passing the fabricbetween rolls one of which has a smooth rigid surface and the other asmooth resilient surface, and then drying the fabric.

2. The process of treating a colored fabric which comprises passing itthrough a bath of waterproofing material which contains a metallicpigment, passing the fabric between a pair of rolls one of which has asmooth rigid surface and the other a smooth resilient surface, and thendrying the fabric.

3. The process of treating an absorbent textile fabric which comprisesimmersing it in a drying oil containing a metallic pigment, then passingthe fabric in single sheet form between squeezing rolls, one of whichhas a smooth rigid surface and theother a smooth resilient surface, saidrolls being adjusted to remove such portion of the treatment liquid aswill result in the fabric having substantially the same thickness asbefore treatment, and then drying the fabric.

4. The process of Waterproofing and simultaneously imparting differentappearance to 5 the opposite sides of a Woven absorbent cloth of redcolor which comprises immersing the cloth in a bath of liquidwaterproofing material containing a metallic pigment of a colordifferent from that of the cloth, and passing go the cloth in singlesheet form between a pair of squeezing rolls, one of said rolls having asmooth rigid surface and the other a smooth resilient surface, wherebysurplus treatment I material is removed and the pigment c0n tained inthe treatment material remaining in the cloth is so distributed as tomodify the original color of the cloth to a greater extent on onesurface than on the other.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature, this 16th day ofFebruary, 1929.

JOHN E. GEORGE.

